AK47 Magazines...

[Jason762]

Are all AK mags created equal? I know this isn't true of AR-15 mags but I'm curious about AK mags.

I moved to Alaska from CA and I've got a Yugo underfolder M64 I want to build up (thinking about going through Krebs).

Want to buy a bunch of 30 rounders, but prices vary from $ 10 to $ 30. Are the cheap ones reliable?

[freonr22]

i had heard the east german/euros were much better than asian.... better floorplates etc ymmv

[savasyn]

I personally do not like the ones with the rib running up the back as it feels bad with mounting and unmounting them from the rifle, but they work fine.
I think most of mine are Chinese and all but one of them works flawlessly.

[69Mach1]

If you're building a Yugo UF, then buy Yugo 7.62x39 AK mags for it. The Yugos lock the bolt back after the last round is fired. Of course once you pull the mag out, the bolt carrier slams forward. The finish is also blued like the Chinese mags. Speaking of the Chinese, the metal ones do not have the rib on the back. The best AK mag IMHO is the Bulgarian "Waffle" polymer mags. They have steel lips and a steel rib running down the back molded into the polymer. Very durable.

[Gator Monroe]

It would take a knowledgeable person to tell the difference between a "Ribbed" Chinese 30 round steel mag and an East German one but a Soviet Bakelight and a Hungarian steel 20 rounder are sooo easy to tell appart an amateaur could do it ...

[JeffM]

If you're building a Yugo UF, then buy Yugo 7.62x39 AK mags for it. The Yugos lock the bolt back after the last round is fired. Of course once you pull the mag out, the bolt carrier slams forward. The finish is also blued like the Chinese mags. Speaking of the Chinese, the metal ones do not have the rib on the back. The best AK mag IMHO is the Bulgarian "Waffle" polymer mags. They have steel lips and a steel rib running down the back molded into the polymer. Very durable.

+1

Bulgy poly waffle mags (NOT the slab-sided ones with the bullet images molded to the sides) are what I prefer for the same reasons. I've also found that they are slightly wider than many of the steel mags so they fit tighter in the mag well.

I also like the Yugos, but most of the ones I use have surface rust from the lack of protective finish. I'll get around to blasting, parking, and painting them some day.

Chinese flat-backs are nice, but they don't seem as sturdy to me. I'd be comfortable stomping on any of my other mags, but not those.

Bulgy/E.German/Russian/etc. are all the same to me (except the Russian slab sides and bakelites, I don't shoot with those). They work and are well built.

Hungarian 20 rounders are nice, especially if you have a forward grip like those on the AMD or Romy guns. They are well proportioned for use in rifle that may be carried in a vehicle.

I have no experience with US made mags, so no comment on those, but over all, unless you're a collector looking for something specific, get whatever's cheapest. I remember when Chinese flat-backs were the cheapest you could get, now they're one of the more expensive styles.



Oh, and get some drums. Everyone should have at least a couple for their AKs, especially in the free states. They're worth the money, especially the Chicom or new Bulgarians based on the Chinese drums.

Enjoy!